Improvement in velocipedes



A. LONGETT;

velocipede,

Patented Aug. 12, 1862.

l n ve nt or;

WifnBs se s MPEIERS, FNOTO-LITMOGRAFNER. WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ ALEXIS LONGETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCIPEDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,160, dated August 12, 1862.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXIS LONGETT, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Velocipede; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in Which-- Figure 1 represents my invention by a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the bottom of the velocipede in the line a: m of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a light vehicle capable of carrying three grown persons, and with that load easily propelled by one of them over a commonroad.

The invention consists in placing the propelling-wheels on independentaxles and communicating motion to them separately through intermediate gear-wheels and band-pulleys,all as will be hereinafter fully explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a plain carriage-body composed of side and end pieces united together at their extremities by mortise-and-tenon joints and covered over with a flooring, B. This body is supported at its rear end on two propelling-wheels, O O, which are sccured on independent axles a, placed in line with each other and revolving in boxes D, depending from the under side of the carriage-body. At its front end the body is supported on a single wheel, E, which also serves as a steering-wheel. This wheel is fitted to revolve on a short axle, d, between the prongs of a forked bar, F, which at its upper end terminates in a spindle, I, having a square shoulder, j, between it and the wheel, upon which shoulder the under side of the earriage-body rests. The spindle passing upward through the flooring is supported at its upper end in a box or bearing formed in the arched bar G.

A foot-piece or cross-bar, b, is secured on the spindle I, near the flooring of the carriage-body, on which foot-piece the operator, who sits in a seat, 0, which in the present instance is supported on brackets, but may be supported in any other suitable manner, rests his feet, one on each side of the spindle, and thereby controls the movement of or steers the vehicle. 1

Rising from the body in front and on opposite sides are standards H, having an opening made longitudinally through them, in

which gear-wheels e f, secured on short shafts 0, through the medium of bands q, passing over their peripheries and over sheaves 8, secured onthe independent axles a of the propelling-wheels.

The intermediate grooved pulleys or sheaves, K, are secured on independent shafts 0, which are journaled in boxes attached to the under side of the carriage-body, and located from the front side about one-third the distance between the axles of the front and hind wheels and parallel with the latter. Oblong openings are made in the flooring of the body for the upper part of the intermediate grooved pulleys, K, to revolve in; also, similar openings are made for the bands at and q to work through. At the rear end of the vehicle, immediately over the axles of the propelling wheels, is a seat for passengers, supported on brackets t and resting at its back upper edge against the posts 1'. There arefour of these posts r rising from the carriage-body, and located one in each corner thereof for the purpose of supporting a canopy, M.

If desired, curtains similar to those of a common covered carriage or carryall may hang from the sides and back end of the canopy.

Having thus described my invention, whatl.

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

Mounting the carriage-body on three wheels, C O E, arranged on independent axles a, and imparting motion to two of said wheels, 0 O,

separately by cranks J, through the medium 0f gear-wheels e f, bandsn q, and groovedpnlleys 0r sheaves K m s, secured, respectively,

on independent axles Z a 0, when said parts are arranged to operate in the manner and for the purposes specified.

ALEXIS LON GETT.

Witnesses: l

J. WAREHAM, I. PECKEBROUK. 

